Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation In Theory and Practice

To most people, the very word Kabbalah implies the mystical experience par excellence, but most modern books about this subject shed very little light on its ancient mystical and magical aspects. Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan has translated Sefer Yetzirah, the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts, and now brings its theoretical, meditative, and magical implications to light. He expounds on the dynamics of the spiritual domain, the worlds of the Sefirot, souls, and angels. When properly understood, Sefer Yetzirah becomes the instruction manual for a very special type of meditation meant to strengthen concentration and to aid the development of telekinetic and telepathic powers. These powers are meant to help initiates perform feats that outwardly appear magical. The magical Kabbalah is closely related to the meditative Kabbalah and uses various signs, incantations, and divine names by which initiates can influence or alter natural events.

Also included is a digest of all major commentaries on the text of Sefer Yetzirah and a bibliography of many of the major kabbalistic works that discuss it, as well as extensive notes regarding various aspects of the translation. Rabbi Kaplan's translation is based on the Gra version, which has been thought to be the most authentic. Also included are the short version, the long version, and the Saadia version, making this volume the most complete work on Sefer Yetzirah in English.